In manufacturing processes, the continuous monitoring, improvement and adaptation of the process is important in order to achieve optimum product quality. Even though machine tools are nowadays controlled electronically, the process data accumulating there has previously been buffered only for short periods, insofar as a limited storage capacity and computing power of memories and machine control enable this, and used for brief analyses on site by specialist staff of the operator to optimize the process. In the prior art, continuous optimization and adaptation of process parameters is not carried out, above all not even in complex manufacturing processes.
It is now already possible for such complicated processes to be modeled in algorithms, but considerable computing capacity has to be available to do this.
From DE 101 52 765 A1 it is known for expert knowledge to be brought to a machine from machine manufacturers via the internet. A working computer is provided at the machine end. This working computer is connected via a data communication link to a host computer which is provided for generating and providing machine-specific data and services. With the aid of the working computer, machine status data can be detected in real time and transferred to the host computer, which generates, depending on such machine status data, data and services which are in turn sent to the working computer.
From US2003/0014387 A1, a system consisting of a host and a plurality of clients is known, it being possible for the clients to be CNC machine tools. Real-time data is recorded by the client systems, in particular with the aid of software which has been downloaded over a network from the host to the clients. The recorded data is fed over the network to the host which generates therefrom files that are also administered there.
The German utility model DE 881 70 18 U1 discloses a machine tool for complex processing, which machine tool comprises a first and second spindle headstock, each having drivable workpiece spindles which are arranged opposite to one another. With the aid of software, the two spindles are controlled such that they take up defined angular feed positions relative to one another.